


Purity of Your Smile

by evr



Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-16
Updated: 2018-02-16
Packaged: 2019-03-19 11:50:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13703889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evr/pseuds/evr
Summary: Re uploading. Originally posted January of 2016.Everything seems to fall into place when he sees his friend smiling.





	Purity of Your Smile

**Author's Note:**

> This was my first attempt at fanfiction since about ten years ago. It was mostly written to suit my own tastes. I've written plenty since then, though I'm not sure I've gotten any better haha... Anyway, it was deleted because I have several mental health problems and I am taking steps to manage it better. So it should be around to stay now.
> 
> I didn't change or edit since deleting it. There is a part two, but it works as a standalone and I'll re-post that separately.
> 
> I'm putting all my work back up because I'm in a healthier place and I'd like to start taking commissions. Please consider it!

He was just being stubborn. He could admit that. The first time this stubborn doubt had forced its way into his life was so recent that the wound was still open. The memory of Sorey walking out of his home late at night, prepared to leave Elysia forever, and… not even _looking_ for Mikleo first, had such a painful bite that by the time Sorey had dismissed his attempt to follow him further, the wounds left on his heart had begun to fester, side-by-side.

To be sure, he hadn't been jealous to see Sorey go after Alisha, at least not in any real way. It was just irritating to see all of Sorey's attention on someone else. It was even worse that as soon as the girl showed up, Gramps had kept Mikleo so busy that he didn't even have the time to  _try_ to make up for it when Sorey was alone.

He'd made his point, and clawed his way into this just by being stubborn enough, but it was difficult to grasp a real reason for being left behind. Sorey wanted to keep him from the burdens and out of harm's way, sure, but it also sounded like an excuse, like Sorey was keeping something else from him. That thought made him so uneasy, he wasn't even sure he could hold it in until his friend had fully recovered. He'd stayed up to keep an eye on him, take care of him through the fever (that this time, was kind of his fault anyway), caring for him just as he always used to back home, wasting the hours meanwhile carefully inspecting the ancient bow they'd used less than a day ago. It hadn't even been all that impressive when they'd armatized, it just felt _right_. They'd worked seamlessly together, instinctively, as could have been predicted by anyone who'd known them more than five minutes. The armatus brought them together as one and neither of them could see where one ended and the other began.

Mikleo had always thought that he'd belonged at Sorey's side. His confidence in that had been terribly shaken, and even that brief armatization hadn't cured his doubts.

He'd kept notes from Lailah, her intricate calligraphy and long-winded details seared onto the paper and into his memory. She'd told him in detail just the kind of impression Sorey had given her about their friendship. She'd told him how much faith Sorey had in him. She'd said there was a sparkle in his eye when Sorey spoke of him. As embarrassing as it all sounded, He knew it was completely true. He wasn't sure what to do with those messages now, but he saved them in a pocket, dreading that they'd be discovered because Sorey didn't need to know the sort of things written on them.

Sorey stirred in the middle of the night, after the fireplace had mostly died down. He was groaning as he sat up and rubbed his eyes a little too hard, "Mikleo? What time is it?" Outside of the window, the moon was just about too high to be seen.

"Close to midnight. Are you feeling better?"

"Not really. Thirsty."

Mikleo stood and held out cupped hands, which Sorey accepted without question, opening his mouth while water was conjured and tipped just enough to spill out over fingertips. A handy trick they'd used since Mikleo first learned to control water, just enough to help prevent Sorey from being dehydrated while they were exploring the ruins near home and weren't ready to return just yet.

Memories like that made it harder to understand why he'd been left behind before. They'd always been together, Mikleo had always done everything he could to be useful. When Sorey motioned for him to stop and finished the remainder, Mikleo caved, "Why are you trying to get rid of me?"

Sorey started coughing on that last few gulps of water, "What?" Mikleo reached over and patted his back to try and help.

"You've tried to leave me behind twice already," He observed. "Elysia first, then…"

Sorey looked up at him, incredulous, "C'mon, it wasn't like that."

Mikleo turned aside, expression unchanged. There'd been no immediate apology, which meant Sorey believed in what he'd done wholeheartedly. The tightness in Mikleo's chest turned to anger, but he didn't lash out. He knew what Sorey was like, and he knew he'd forgive him instantly. This time, he just… Needed to hold a grudge for awhile. Probably.

Seconds ticked away in growing tension before Sorey picked up that he needed to explain himself. "I didn't want to trouble you when I left Elysia," Sorey started, "I was the only one who trusted Alisha, so I thought I should--"

"I trusted _you_ ," Mikleo said sharply, but regretted his words even as he said them; he knew exactly what the expression on Sorey's face was now without looking. Sorey had only just awakened with a rather severe fever, it felt too mean to ambush him with this. But it was too late to take it back. "You're such an awful liar." He added in a sour tone barely above a whisper.

"...Part of me knew you'd come with me. Or maybe hoped."

Mikleo sighed, "Sorey, forget it. It's fine, just don't try anything like that again."

"No, it's not fine," Sorey stood, stumbling just a bit, and Mikleo turned again to meet him to make sure his friend was steady.

"Hey, lie back down, we can talk about this later if you--"

Sorey grabbed hold of Mikleo's arms, his grip firm when he halfheartedly tried to pull free, and kissed him. With trepidation, when he'd gotten away with it, he tilted his head and sought more, opening his mouth and coaxing Mikleo to do the same.

He was too stunned to react. The faint, warm breathing on his cheek, the way Sorey's hands moved from his arms around to his back, fingers gripping his clothes - it felt so desperate. He noticed these things and didn't move. Neither of them had any experience with this, he knew that, and it showed. Sorey pulled back, just enough so still keep Mikleo close. He seemed nervous. Trembling.

"I'm in love with you." When he didn't get a response, he lowered his head and sighed, "I have been, for a long time. I didn't want to put you in danger, but I also thought if I gave you space, maybe this would be easier." _But you're here, and that changes things_ , he didn't say. He didn't add any expectations, any requests. That wasn't how it felt. It felt heavy, almost like a proposal.

Mikleo covered his mouth for a few seconds, averting his eyes. He thought he'd known everything. He really thought that before. He thought Sorey would tell him he was trying to protect him, just that, so Mikleo could argue that he'd just been trying to do the same for Sorey. Even if he'd had doubts, he wanted this conversation to put them to rest.

But this changed everything.

"...How long?" was all he could manage to ask.

Sorey looked at him, hope clear on his face. "Um. I don't really know," He answered, looking sheepish when Mikleo was displeased with the answer, "I mean, it feels like. Always, I guess."

Mikleo sobered up slowly, placing a hand on Sorey's chest and pushing him away. Gently, of course, trying to be kind. "...Get back in bed. I'll try to do something about your fever."

"Mikleo?"

"I'm not talking about it right now." He warned him, but then softened at the desperate look on Sorey's face, "...Later, okay? I need to think." Suddenly a lot of Lailah's words had a different context, and a lot of the things they did seemed less like childish habits carried into their adult lives. It wasn't necessarily bad. In fact, his first impression once he had a chance to consider it was that Sorey's feelings felt warm and nice. Of course, he couldn't just accept all this so easily. His best friend, who knew him as well as he knew himself, would understand that.

Sorey nodded and smiled. Somehow it seemed more radiant than he ever remembered.

 

* * *

 

 

It wasn't love, he'd decided, it was convenience. Because what else would it be? Of course Sorey would have strong feelings for the only person he'd known his entire life in his age range. Mikleo had been curious enough to read about these things, learning that these years were hardest on humans. Hormones out of control and emotionally unstable. So of course Sorey would be confused. This would just wear off in time.

It only became difficult to deal with when it confused Mikleo in turn. He loved Sorey dearly, but that had limits. They'd grown up together, and while calling each other 'brothers' was too much of a stretch (it had always been pointed out, after all, that they weren't even the same species), they had a bond he'd always thought of in a more familial way. While Sorey's confession didn't cheapen that bond, not at all, it was left mangled and unrecognizably changed. The comfort of not-quite-brotherhood slipped away from them, and if Mikleo considered what it was becoming, he…

Honestly, he resented it. Like he'd have to change things, too. He didn't want to.

At the same time, certain things were sweetened. Every time Sorey had a moment alone with him in the days following the confession, he'd look hopeful, he'd reach for Mikleo's hand and give him smiles that looked utterly unfamiliar and bright. There were parts of this that Mikleo couldn't help but enjoy, tentatively. He still assumed Sorey would grow out of it, wake up and realize he'd put weight to something that didn't really exist. Later on, they'd share a laugh about it. Or maybe not, since that seemed cruel. Maybe they could just pretend it never happened.

In the meantime, Mikleo avoided the topic. When Sorey would nervously ask if he'd given it any thought, he'd brush it off and tell him "not enough", as though that would help things. He knew it wouldn't, they both knew it.

He couldn't bring himself to put any faith in "always, I guess." Certainly not enough that he'd even consider opening himself to the possibility of falling in love with Sorey (and he knew he could; when faced with all the tenderness Sorey had shown him lately it was hard to stave off blossoming warmth in his chest). He found his thoughts in the past far too often, trying to pinpoint some moment of epiphany in Sorey that he'd overlooked, and couldn't find it.

When they'd reached Marlind, their little group had grown to include a little annoyance named Edna, who wasn't a bad person by any means, but she was hard to understand. There were sparks between her and Mikleo - the bad kind - and with the feeling of venomous miasma choking the town along with that, Mikleo needed to leave for awhile before everything erupted. Sorey had been down lately. He'd wondered if it still had something to do with him, at first.

But he couldn't trouble himself with trying to change Sorey's mind about bringing Alisha along. Changing Sorey's mind about anything was clearly an impossible task for him, so he would just have to pick up the slack instead. Strangely, that brought him some kind of comfort.

Exiting the town's limits was a relief like summer rain, and finally he could breathe easier. He was the weakest, least experienced seraph Sorey had with him, and he wanted to change that without having any clue as to how. The malevolent air was too much for him to handle for so long a period. Lailah was kind about his needing to get away for awhile, but he was already sick of Edna's condescension and made a point to avoid her.

He realized late that Sorey had trotted after him and turned to face him. For a moment, he steeled himself for anyone who might've been riding along, but once he picked up that they were alone he tensed for another reason entirely.

"Mikleo! Everything okay?" Sorey was smiling, but he was out of breath.

"Just taking a walk," He smiled, burying his nerves somewhat shallowly, "You're welcome to come along, of course." And he did. The evening breeze was somewhat cold, and they stood close to each other without thinking. It was comfortable, quiet, just like things used to be until Sorey grabbed his hand.

Even then, that was something they did before leaving Elysia. As children they were encouraged to, so they didn't get into trouble, and the habit was more or less formed and stuck with them now. The context was what had changed. Mikleo didn't mind, though. It felt nice enough to keep doing.

"You don't love me back, do you?" Sorey asked a few minutes later, stopping and tugging on Mikleo's hand to keep him from walking away. It had been obvious that this would come up again, and he couldn't stall forever. It would be unkind, to keep leaving it up in the air like this.

"...You're my best friend. My family."

"That's not really an answer."

When Mikleo looked at him now, there was a bitter sting in his stomach and his throat tightened. Sorey was smiling, but his eyes looked sad. It wasn't fair. "I can't wrap my head around it," He started carefully, offering Sorey's hand a squeeze, "That you love me, I mean. You don't know that many people, so you'll probably--"

"I won't." Sorey's smile had faded, his expression grave as if that would make him more convincing. It worked, somewhat.

Mikleo couldn't find any more comebacks. He looked at the horizon, the last of the daylight gone except for a thin outline over the landscape. He swallowed hard, trying again. His voice trembled embarrassingly, "Why me, then? It's too convenient."

Sorey tilted his head, that grin slowly returning, "Convenient, because it's always been there? Because we've always gotten along, liked the same things? I don't see why convenience is a bad thing."

Mikleo was positive there was a retort there, sitting on the edge of his tongue, but he didn't have time to reach it before Sorey nudged his chin up and kissed him for the second time, slower and more confident than before. He hadn't released Mikleo's hand, but his other hand settled on the back of Mikleo's neck, sliding upwards into his hair.

For a moment, the gloves on his hands felt intrusive, and he wanted Sorey to take them off immediately. However nice it felt didn't convince him he was in love, though it did make him wonder if Sorey was the only one confused. He broke the kiss, pushing his friend back just enough to make eye contact less awkward. "I can accept it," he conceded in a stern voice, "Nothing else yet."

Sorey grinned, even though he hadn't gotten what he was obviously hoping for. "Yet. Okay," he pulled Mikleo into a warm hug, nuzzling his cheek as though he'd kiss it but he didn't, "Can I get away with things like this, in the meantime?"

Mikleo 'tsk'ed, but couldn't bite back a smile of his own, pushing away from the embrace, "If you don't overdo it."

It was still hard to believe. He still _couldn't_ believe it. But he liked it. He was forced to admit, at least to himself, that he wanted to stick it out and see how well it could turn out. He retreated inside of Sorey instead of walking back in this awkwardness, and Sorey laughed at him, "Hey, what does that feel like for you, anyway?"

There was a long pause while Mikleo took time to consider it. Right now, his awareness was shared with the vessel; he felt what Sorey felt, understood his feelings. That wasn't all, of course. He still had a heartbeat of his own, and somehow he could understand that Sorey knew it as well as he did. It was an intimate sharing that would have bothered him if it was anyone else. He felt like he was like floating aimlessly in ethereal comfort, it was 'home'. " _It feels like… You're everything. If that makes sense_."

"And when the others are here too? I've been really curious."

" _I prefer it like this_."

"Me, too," Sorey said, grinning like an idiot. "Maybe because we're used to each other already, but it's less comfortable with the others."

Mikleo didn't hide his warm amusement, and his surroundings - Sorey's soul? Seemed to change color, brighten at the mood. " _I'm sure it will get easier for you_."

"Probably." Sorey opened the heavy gate, and Mikleo felt every bit of movement, every straining muscle, with a sort of fascination. He'd tried to avoid observing too closely before, as though he was being too invasive. Sorey was right, though; this was comfortable, it felt as though they were actually able to become a single entity. Different from armatus, not nearly so intense. "...Hey, Mikleo? Do you want to camp out tonight instead?"

" _Th-that's not necessary_." Mikleo felt ashamed that he'd been so transparent. Sorey wasn't that oblivious when it came to him, though, so there was a warmth around him, keeping him from being upset. " _We can just stay with the others at the inn_."

Sorey paused, still not quite inside the gate, letting it sit open propped on his back. "Yeah? I think I'd rather just stay out here with you, though. It's been awhile."

Visions of Elysia, and the starry sky above the village, appeared suddenly in Mikleo's mind. The thoughts weren't really his own, " _Are you homesick, Sorey_?" He'd teased the other about that before, but he was being sincere now. Almost worried.

Sorey let the gate fall shut, staying outside of it instead of returning to the city. "Hmm, not exactly that. You're here, after all, that's home enough for me."

Mikleo came back out, giving him a look of annoyance over how corny that line was. "Sorey, you... Never mind. So what's the problem?"

Sorey's gaze fell to the ground, his smile considerably weaker than before, "I guess… I regret telling you that I love you, a bit. We've changed so much already."

Silence fell. Standing straighter, he stepped forward and hesitantly took Sorey's hand, glancing up to meet his eyes, "I'm sorry. Don't regret it."

"I don't regret it that much! Aren't you just being stubborn?" There was laughter in his voice. Mikleo gave him a shove and started to open the gate to town, "Whoa, hey, I was kidding!"

When he gave chase, Mikleo turned his head, but didn't stop walking, "We're not sleeping on the ground without a blanket or something, right?"

Sorey froze, just for a moment, before flashing that brilliant smile at him again.

 

* * *

 

 

When Sorey's resonance disappeared, he called for Mikleo first.

The three Seraphim all froze, confused by Sorey's own confusion, but this was a battlefield. Edna and Lailah understood better what was happening and recovered faster, fighting off a few of the nearby hellions to keep them from reaching the numbed Shepherd. Mikleo was a little more panicked. Sorey had always been able to see him, _always_.

He grabbed Sorey's arm, firm from his fear, "Sorey?!" His voice was raised, terrified. If Sorey had heard him, he would have teased him for it.

Sorey said his name again, looking in his direction but not _at_ him. The Lord of Calamity - Heldalf, he introduced himself - spoke before turning away. He certainly hadn't needed to retreat, none of them could stand up to that.

The Hellions were closing in, Edna and Lailah not enough to keep them off. Mikleo joined them, but it still wouldn't be enough to protect Sorey in this state. He didn't even care about the assassin, but remained glued to Sorey's side when he collapsed, trying his best to fend off more of the corrupted soldiers.

"Mikleo! We need to retreat!" Lailah shouted urgently, "She can get him to safety!"

That's when he paid more attention to them, Dezel and the assassin. Much as he hated to admit it, a wind seraph would be much better to aid in escape. He chewed his lip, watching anxiously as the slight girl in the mask lifted his best friend over her shoulder and dashed off the edge of the cliff.

So he did retreat back into Sorey's body, his heart sinking when that well-aimed spear knocked Dezel off-course and sent them plummeting. And almost like a reflex, he rushed back out, summoning a torrent of water to make sure they'd land in the river below, softly enough that they wouldn't be hurt.

He could only do so much, but he guided them away from the battlefield downriver, keeping anyone from getting swept away (he wouldn't have been so inclined to save the assassin girl - who turned out to be Rose, of all people - or Dezel, if they hadn't just tried to save Sorey. He didn't have that weird need to be a savior that Sorey did). Once he found a clearing at the side of the river, he ferried them over to it. Rose, Dezel, and Sorey were all unconscious.

Lailah and Edna came back, helping him drag the others away from the water (though the tide was falling, so it wasn't very necessary yet), and Lailah knelt by Rose and Dezel, wiping water from Rose's face with her sleeve. "They're all okay," She proclaimed, pleased, "You did very well, Mikleo."

"Pretty good for a Meebo," Edna agreed.

He didn't leave Sorey's side, ignoring Edna and addressing Lailah, "That domain could weaken him this much?" She nodded solemnly, standing.

"Edna, will you join me? I'd like to have a look around." The tone in her voice clearly meant she was covering her intentions. She meant to leave Mikleo alone to deal with this, then? He decided he was grateful.

With Sorey unconscious, he didn't really have much to do though. Just wait, cast mostly-ineffective healing spells on the three. Dezel recovered, grunted irritably and left without a word not long after he was sure Rose was okay. It was almost an hour before Sorey stirred, weakly, and murmured Mikleo's name. "Sorey?" Mikleo took his hand and gingerly brushed hair out of his face, "Can you hear me?"

Sorey smiled, squeezing his hand, "I know you're there. Are you guys safe?"

Mikleo's disappointment sank in his stomach, making him feel mildly ill. "This is why I tell you to be careful…" He grumbled, laying Sorey's hand flat and slowly tracing words out on his palm.

"...Good. I'm glad you're okay. I'm still pretty tired…" He closed his eyes again and adjusted his position to rest better, "Hopefully I can sleep this off. You'll stay here, right?"

Mikleo hesitated for only a second before leaning down and giving Sorey a kiss on his forehead. Sorey drifted back to sleep with a smile on his face.

 

* * *

 

 

The time in the Tintagel ruins had been a great relief to everyone involved. Instead of taking any time to rest, they continued on into Lastonbel. After a huge mess with that knight, Sergei, they did eventually retire to the inn, renting out two rooms (there weren't any more available, a family displaced by the war had taken the other room) and splitting them on gender lines.

Dezel stepped out early on, and while it seemed suspicious, Mikleo was pleased to not have him around for awhile. Sorey was weird, Mikleo always made up for it with extra caution and wariness of strangers.

"Maybe it was a waste to get two rooms," Sorey complained, "Each room has two beds, you could all just stay in my head at night, right?"

"That came out of nowhere." Mikleo turned in the chair at the desk, "What are you talking about?"

"I was hoping we'd be able to share," he confessed, "But I think Dezel wants to stay outside overnight, so you'll probably take the other bed."

Mikleo turned back to the book he'd been reading, less interested in the words but not willing to look at Sorey's face just yet. Sorey had been a lot less pushy since that night in Marlind, and for that he was grateful. It had been hard to think about it before, under that pressure. Now he felt content to feel loved, even if he still had doubts. "...He might come back."

"Yeah," Sorey laughed, "I've been meaning to talk to you about something, now that we're alone." He waited for Mikleo to turn back around before he continued, "Do you really think I tense up every time I see you?"

Mikleo closed the book he was reading, saving his place with his fingertips between the pages, and walked over to Sorey, sitting on the bed beside him with a sigh, "...I may have put a bit of a different spin on it. But you do."

Sorey moved to sit behind Mikleo and hug him from behind, resting his head on his shoulder. "Well, as long as you know why. And you're a million times worse than I am, Mikleo."

Mikleo reopened the book, a small smile on his face knowing that Sorey couldn't see it. "Am not." In truth, he knew he'd gotten worse, ever since that awkward confession. He leaned back against Sorey comfortably, remembering a long time ago, how they'd relaxed like this as children so they could share books they only had a single copy of. Had it ever actually stopped, though? It felt different. It had been too long, "Are you sure a married man should be flirting this much?"

Sorey tensed with the subject change, Mikleo noticed. "You were in on that lie, you know. You're not allowed to get jealous."

"Who said anything about jealousy?" He scoffed, turning the page. That book really wasn't interesting. There wasn't an impressive amount of literature in the inn rooms or he'd have picked a different one. "Poor Rose, trapped in a loveless marriage with an unfaithful husband. I'm not jealous, I just feel sorry for her."

"Hey, you know I'd be faithful!" Sorey took his teasing too seriously, as he often did. Mikleo chuckled, and felt the arms around his midsection tighten, warm and secure around him. "I'm completely faithful to you." His voice was softer there, a painful tugging on Mikleo's chest made him feel bad for teasing.

A fleeting thought burned a deep impression on Mikleo now, that he felt guilt for keeping Sorey waiting. But that didn't make sense. Even so, he closed the book and placed it on his lap, not bothering to save his place now. "Sorey, what kind of relationship is it that you want with me?"

"Nothing  _has_ to change," Sorey answered easily, as though he'd given it so much thought already. "We'll always be together, right? I'm happy." He shrugged, Mikleo felt it against his back.

"So why change it?" Mikleo turned his head just enough to catch a glimpse of Sorey's face, "I am trying to understand, you know. With everything going on, we can't go on dates or get married or anything."

Sorey hugged him tighter again, this time less comfortably, "Ahh, you've given this so much consideration!" He quietly cheered, "You're right though. Until things calm down, I'm fine with this. Then maybe we'll have time to think about that more seriously."

There was a long pause, Sorey acting too cheerful.

"Now I can't stop thinking about you in traditional wedding clothes. Like those illustrations in the Celestial Record."

Mikleo changed the subject again, "What about sex?" Sorey's entire body stilled, and he felt it warm up more against his back. He gripped the book a little too tightly, his fingertips stinging against it.

Sorey swallowed hard and drew a long, nervous breath before answering, "I'd like to," He admitted, "But it's not that important to me."

Mikleo nodded in understanding. They hadn't had a real 'birds and bees' lecture when they were growing up, just simple explanations to deal with their curiosity. Truthfully, it seemed like something seraphim had no need for, like eating, since reproduction was entirely unnecessary. He supposed he was capable of it, his body reacted to things as much as could be expected, but now he knew Sorey had no idea about that. And he wouldn't think it was important if it were impossible. Somehow, that was a relief. When he shifted his body to sit a little easier, he regretted bringing it up. Sorey's sensitivity was startling. "Oh… I'm sorry. I just wanted to know."

"N-no, it's fine. I'm still just happy you're taking me so seriously."

"Do you need me to leave the room for awhile?"

"No, really," Sorey insisted, pulling away, "We can just… go to sleep, right?"

"Yeah," Mikleo breathed, smiling weakly as he stood to extinguish the lamps first. Lastonbel had some lights hanging from the ceiling, and embarrassingly he struggled to snuff the first one out, so Sorey went ahead and took care of the other. He didn't bother getting irritated about it, just climbed into bed with him and allowed him to hold him close.

"I love you," Sorey reminded him.

Mikleo didn't answer, but slid an arm underneath Sorey's body to return the hold, hiding his face under the other's chin.

Sorey fell asleep wearing another smile. Mikleo thought it looked a little duller than just a week ago, and wondered why.

 

* * *

 

 

Heat climbed through Mikleo's body. His insides were molten, his skin melted around him. He felt a bead of sweat crawling down his back and opened his eyes, finding Sorey leaning over him with a damp cloth. It was hard to believe it was just a fever doing this to him.

"We managed to find some ice," Sorey gestured at a metal pail on the floor. Mikleo's vision was so blurry that he almost couldn't make it out. He coughed and nodded.

After the fire trial, Mikleo's fever had gotten so high that he'd lost consciousness while inside of Sorey, and Lailah had to forcefully remove him because Sorey couldn't figure out quite how (apparently he didn't know it was possible). These things had been explained to him earlier, when Sorey started peeling his sweaty clothes off and laying him out on a mattress.

He'd be embarrassed about being mostly naked later, probably. For now, the cold cloth wiping down his back felt refreshing enough to ignore that his friend was interested in him. "...Sorry, Sorey." His voice sounded hoarse and unpleasant even in his own head, and it disgusted him. He'd been trying so hard to get stronger. He'd missed out on sleep, he'd even been willing to ask Edna for help. Progress had been made, but not enough. Not if he could still get this sick over some fake medicine.

Escaping the Cardinal had secretly delighted him, even though they'd all brushed it off in minutes. A wind seraph still would escape faster, but Mikleo had found his own way to make an exit, possibly more effective. He'd even picked up on how to use the technique Dezel called Windstepping. And he'd continue growing in strength, overcoming what he'd considered his limits, accomplishing his goals.

To fall this easily was inexcusable, to him. "Not your fault. I would have tested it, if you hadn't," Sorey slid the cold cloth up to the back of Mikleo's neck, a chill following its path, "None of us could have known it'd do this to a Seraph."

Mikleo buried his face in his arms with a slight nod. He didn't bother adding that in any other case, it would _of course_ have been Sorey doing something dumb and getting into trouble. He was humbled, because right now he could enjoy being spoiled. It was a pretty rare thing. "I barely remember the last few hours before I lost consciousness."

"Well," Sorey started, working on Mikleo's shoulders now, "Once we got through to the deepest part of the ruins, we fought Ekseo. You and I are the ones who defeated him, actually. I hope you weren't feeling this sick at that point." From his voice, Mikleo could tell he was beaming. It was nice that Sorey was so easy to read. He smiled too, but his face was still hidden, "Then he tested me and Lailah by telling me I had to burn one of us."

"...Oh, I do recall that much," Mikleo turned his head so he could be heard a little better. He felt Sorey flinch, then heard him laugh nervously. "I wanted to stop you, too." He didn't want to admit it, but he'd been growing dizzy in the heat of those ruins, and he'd hesitated too much to step in. The heat in the trial had been so intense, he couldn't be sure it hadn't caused most of the fever.

"You wouldn't have," Sorey said, "Because you knew I was serious about it."

He had to think about that. He'd never actively hold Sorey back, that was true, but he'd often wanted to when he was about to do something stupid. He would criticize the decision then, but not stop him. "You're right, but I wanted to."

"Well, it doesn't matter. Just a test."

Sorey continued wiping him down with the cloth, and it reminded him of the times when they were still in Elysia, and Mikleo had been the one always caring for him whenever he got sick. Even when they were children and bathed together in a small basin, if Sorey felt too warm, Mikleo would freeze the water (which usually was not appreciated, but they were young enough then that they could have laughed about it now). He was always so concerned with Sorey's health after learning that humans were more susceptible to illness.

This felt nice, though. He did notice that Sorey had kindly left his underwear on, and a light sheet over him, which did make things less weird. Even when Sorey reached his sides, he squirmed a little but it was mostly comfortable. It was an enjoyable change of pace, being taken care of.

A few minutes of that, and Sorey started taking care of his legs, making things a little more awkward. "I don't like pain, but I really would have done it. I'm pretty sure you'd love me anyway."

Mikleo propped himself up weakly to look over at Sorey, careful not to disturb the covers. The air had such a pleasant chill, and Sorey quickly moved back to the head of the bed while he could, wringing out the washcloth and dousing it in more icewater to get to Mikleo's front. Meanwhile, Mikleo watched him carefully, trying to imagine what that disfiguring scar would look like.

He decided it really wouldn't have mattered, though - Sorey was Sorey, whatever scars he bore. He'd managed to get used to all the scars the human had accumulated growing up (which wasn't many, really - Mikleo had learned basic healing artes young enough to prevent the worst of it), he could easily get over one on his face. The real issue would be that they'd have failed the test if he'd done it, and it would have been pointless. An injury that would stir such negative memories would only hurt their cause. He really would have hated Ekseo, test or not.

Then something dawned on him, "Ekseo was human," He spoke softly because of how close Sorey was, and when he looked up at him, baffled, Mikleo met him with a weak smile, "Maybe it's only bothered me, but I never wanted to outlive you. Isn't it worth asking him how it happened? Maybe it's something he did?"

There were other things that had bothered him about that revelation that he wasn't ready to handle, but he couldn't deny them, either (a woman with a sweet smile had appeared more than once while he slept, with a muted voice that tried to comfort him through his illness). Sorey looked doubtful. "What if I came out with a lizard face?"

Mikleo almost laughed, but it instantly turned into a painful cough, and he had to lie down on his back, raising his knees so the sheet would bunch up and not cling to him too much. He didn't want to draw attention to that. The pain in his chest subsided quickly enough. Sorey had stopped washing him, but had a hand on his midsection as though he could aid his breathing somehow. "You're sure I'd love you with a scar, but not if you had scales?"

"Those are two very different things," Sorey pulled a face.

"...Really? Not to me." They stared at each other for a few moments, then Sorey looked away, at Mikleo's body. It was embarrassing, raising goosebumps on his skin. He crossed his arms over himself and looked at the wall. Such a human reaction made him realize that he'd said something a little too telling of their differences.

He was sort of surprised when Sorey's hand crept around him, gently pulling him closer and kissing his brow. "I can't accomplish what I want if I'm not human. But after this is done, I'll--" He paused again, brushing the hair away from Mikleo's forehead and removing his circlet, skin that hadn't felt air in ages underneath. " _We'll_ look into seeing how he managed it."

Rationally, he was sure they both knew there had to be a catch far greater than disfigurement. But Mikleo was too tired to deal with anything, and Sorey seemed kind of down. The circlet was set on the other side of the bed while Sorey leaned over him, fingers gracefully sliding from his cheek into his hair and kissed him. Feather-light, far more delicate than he'd ever kissed him before. That felt more like Sorey than any others they'd shared.

Maybe because of that, or maybe because of the fever, Mikleo responded more favorably, wrapping his arms around Sorey's shoulders and just holding him close. Sorey pressed their foreheads together as they parted, that smile Mikleo was falling in love with (or maybe he'd been in love with it for years already, he couldn't tell anymore) plastered on his face.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Sorey didn't cry often. He'd always been a brainlessly optimistic sort of person and even as a child, Mikleo couldn't remember more than five times he'd seen Sorey cry (three of those involved childish fights with Mikleo, one was a major injury that needed healing magic and a whole lot of bed rest to cope with, and the last was something inexplicable that he'd insisted hadn't mattered). After Dezel's passing, Sorey was really doing his best, but Mikleo knew better than that. He needed time, and he'd mourn in his own way. The only other death they'd been close to was Mason's, and he'd handled it similarly.

Zaveid had announced he was joining up with them, but nobody trusted him enough to offer him their room key. So there were two beds, and one would stay empty for the rest of the night. The room that the girls stayed in was probably far more comfortable. That empty bed was an outward reminder of the blank space left by Dezel inside Sorey. Mikleo hadn't expected it to be so obvious; he thought it would be the kind of thing that would fill in and disappear, but it was like a gaping wound in Sorey's soul.

None of the seraphim wanted to spend much time in there at the moment, because of that. It was hard on everyone.

Sorey, meanwhile, occasionally trembled in Mikleo's arms, trying not to cry. Mikleo didn't have the heart to tell him it would be okay. Nothing was okay. They were struggling, completely outmatched by their enemies. It terrified him, but he had a feeling that this event wouldn't be the last time that they'd see seigfreid used. He wondered if Dezel felt scared, in those last moments. He wondered if he would have been.

They'd all been through so much. This was the breaking point, and maybe that was okay.

During the trials, and learning more about how humans could become seraphim, Mikleo had to let go of the hope that he and Sorey would make it happen on their own; he held to the idea that someone like Sorey would be able to manage it anyway, but it seemed like a mixed blessing, after what Lailah and Edna told him. Not that there was time to think too deeply on it anymore, since they would have to continue on in the morning, keep fighting what felt like a hopeless battle.

"Mikleo," Sorey spoke quietly, as though there was someone he could wake up in the room, "Can I kiss you?"

Mikleo gave a short laugh as he softened his hold on Sorey, "What's this? You've never asked before."

Sorey accepted that as permission and pressed a kiss to Mikleo's forehead first, his arms encircling Mikleo's body. Their lips touched very briefly, as softly as all the kisses they'd shared since the awkward day in Gododdin (which Mikleo didn't regret - there was nothing _to_ regret, since the most that had been done was gentle kisses until the fever lulled Mikleo back to sleep). "Sorry."

"Don't be," He said quickly, making steady eye contact. Sorey's eyes weren't red, but glossy. "If I wasn't okay with it, I'd stop you."

Sorey sighed, hugging tighter again so that Mikleo couldn't look at him, "You're sure?"

It was apparent that he was talking about something other than this. Mikleo couldn't pinpoint it exactly, but stroked Sorey's back while he thought on it. "I love you, Sorey." Was what he decided on, savoring the sweet look of surprise his friend wore. It had been overdue, and he hadn't really intended to hold it back so long. "That doesn't mean I'd just go along with anything you want. I know the others are the same."

A sharp exhalation, like half a laugh, escaped Sorey. "Mikleo… Tha-"

"And don't thank me for nothing," He interrupted, giving his friend a tight squeeze, "We're following you for a reason. We want to."

Sorey rolled onto his back, free of Mikleo's arms, with a wide smile on his face and unshed tears glistening in his eyes. It didn't look like he'd have to try so hard to keep from crying anymore, though. His eyes were sparkling. "You love me, huh?"

"You already knew that," He glared, but moved closer, resting his head on Sorey's shoulder and wrapping an arm around him.

"Your timing is either amazing or terrible," Sorey mused, adjusting so they could sleep comfortably in their position, "...But it did cheer me up. Can I thank you for that?"

"Sure. Thank me for my awful timing. You're not welcome."

Sorey laughed again. Mikleo couldn't give him closure, but he could, at the very least, put a smile on his face. That was enough for now.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Everything was adding up and weighing them down too much. Travelling seemed to take so much longer, like they'd been dragging their feet for weeks. Outwardly, they were all in good spirits. But everything leading up to this point was a weight on their backs.

The Great Camelot Bridge had provided a wonderful distraction for Mikleo and Sorey - they'd really needed it. The rest of the group mostly ignored them while they spoke of the architecture and history of the place. If they weren't ignoring them, they were annoyed. They reached the desert feeling far better about everything, but it only took a few hours of travelling here for the complaints to start.

"Ugh, it's too hot! I can't take it anymore!" Rose raised her voice.

" _It's not so bad in here._ "

"Ugh, Damnit! Sorey! Let me crawl in your ear or something! There's gotta be room for me while Mikleo is outside!!"

"Careful, he doesn't clean his ears very often." Mikleo shrugged uncomfortably. He could agree that the heat was irritating, but he could use his powers to cool off every time it grew to be too much.

Sorey was about to protest before Rose cut back in, "That's totally fine! I'm all sweaty and covered in sand! But being cool is better than being clean right now!"

Mikleo crossed his arms and chuckled; because of his connection to the others, he felt their amusement too. "Well, I could always just douse you in cold water. Would that work?"

A glimmer appeared in Rose's eyes and she grasped Mikleo's hands, "Yes! Yes, that's perfect! It's getting late in the day anyway, why don't we set up camp and Mikleo can clean us all off!"

"W-what?" Mikleo grumbled, but didn't argue since it was more or less what he'd just offered to do.

"That actually doesn't sound bad." Sorey tapped his chin thoughtfully.

" _Yes, we should stop soon if you want to bathe. The desert will get very cold at night, so you'll need time to dry._ " Lailah's voice rang out from inside of Sorey's mind.

"Great! Over there looks good!" Rose tugged Mikleo to the edge of a rock formation and let go of his hand, holding hers in a gesture to tell him to stay, "Okay, you stand here so I have privacy, and I'll go behind that rock where you can't see, and-- Sorey! You stand over here, too! And keep a leash on Zaveid!"

"Haha… Will do." Sorey sat down resigned on a boulder beside Mikleo, and the other three Seraphim came out. Lailah and Zaveid set about building the fire first, Edna stood under her umbrella and watched.

"Okay! Ready!"

"That was quick." Mikleo thought aloud before reciting an incantation and conjuring water over where he knew Rose was waiting. She shrieked about it being too cold, but asked him to do it again a few seconds later.

A minute or two, she emerged to help out with the campsite, her hair still wet and her jacket around her waist, "Much better! Thanks, Mikleo."

"You're welcome," He said dryly, turning to Sorey, "You want a turn?"

"Maybe later," his friend laughed, "I'll hunt down something to eat for now."

"My turn, then." Edna said, twirling her umbrella and stomping ever so gracefully to where Rose had been standing.

After Sorey left, huge rocks erupted from the ground and caged Mikleo in place, "The hell?!"

"I don't trust you not to peek. Peep-leo. Hurry up."

Annoyed as he was, he figured he ought to just do it, get it over with and get out. The deluge of water he summoned might have been a little more intense than necessary. When he gathered that Edna had no intention of freeing him anytime soon, he closed his eyes and breathed to calm himself. He could be annoyed, but he would get _himself_ out of this, because he didn't like that anyone thought they could mess with him this much.

Laying one hand on a large rock that had trapped him, he brought water through every crack and pore he could find, making up the incantations as he went. When he was satisfied with it, he froze the water and the rock burst, crumbling into little stones and muddy sand. In spite of his annoyance, he was pleased with himself. In the corner of his eye, he saw Lailah clap her hands for him.

On the other hand, there was Edna, completely dry and spinning drops of water from her wet umbrella with an amused look on her face, "Not bad. I'd give you a full ten points for that."

"Are you for real?"

"But you took too long. Minus fifty points."

He was mad, but couldn't really do anything about it aside from hold a grudge. Sorey came back soon enough with a heavy-looking desert animal over his shoulder, and he began preparing to cook it with Rose's help. "Sorey. The sun is going down, so if you want to wash off, you should do it now."

"You're right," Sorey stood, dusting his clothes off, "Rose, you got this?"

"I'm great at this. Don't start doubting me now," In spite of her words, she was laughing. Sorey nodded and followed Mikleo off to the same spot Rose had told him to go.

"...What's all this? Did you and Edna do something?" Sorey had noticed the crumbled rock and mud, the ice already melted.

"Not really. She was just… being Edna."

"She was messing with you? Did you learn how to crush boulders too?"

"Y-yeah, I guess."

"That's amazing, Mikleo!" Sorey looked so excited about it, Mikleo couldn't help but let his ego swell a little. Mostly, he just liked seeing Sorey like this, animated and smiling.

"Yeah, yeah. Get undressed, let's get this over with."

Sorey didn't have the need for privacy (from Mikleo, at least) that Rose did, so he started removing his clothes right there, handing them over for Mikleo to shake the dust off, fold and set aside. It didn't occur to him that it was the first time he'd seen Sorey naked in months until he caught himself staring. Luckily, Sorey didn't notice. "Okay, ready when you are."

Sorey was facing away from him, his broad shoulders and back so nicely sculpted. He watched while the water washed over him, Sorey hunched forward and hugged his sides from the cold. Mikleo's eyes drifted lower, and he only looked away when Sorey turned around. Heat welled up in his abdomen, and he held his staff a little tighter.

"Everything okay?" Sorey asked, shivering as he scrubbed the dirt away.

"Just fine," Mikleo answered, summoning another wave over Sorey's head without announcing it, "You've grown more muscular since this started, is all. I was surprised."

Sorey made an undignified noise when the water hit him and he shivered, but he grinned and flexed anyway. "Oh, really?"

"Don't get cocky while you're shivering," Mikleo laughed, and Sorey retaliated by going for his sides, to tickle him. He wound up pinned against a rock wall. "And don't grab me when you're naked!" He hissed, still in good humor though, reaching to fight back.

But _oh_ , Sorey's skin felt so warm as he made contact. He froze, looking up at his friend's face and finding him just as still. He watched carefully as Sorey swallowed hard, took a step back and grabbed his pants to put them back on, "Sorry."

"Don't be." Mikleo turned away and withdrew his staff. The simple things they used to do together seemed so different, it left him wondering if they'd ever be able to do it again. Holding hands, bathing together, all the things that were so comfortable before, when they were children, would never be a comfort again. "Everything's changed, but it's as much my fault as yours."

Sorey, half-dressed, tousled Mikleo's hair to get his attention, "It doesn't have to be weird, though."

With a nod, Mikleo turned around, "We'll get used to it. I know." It wasn't really that weird, when he thought about it; it was new and unexplored, a change that would make everything they did carry more weight. He ran a hand through his hair to fix the mess Sorey undoubtedly made of it and looked his friend over again. "It's not bad." Sorey put his shirts back on, fumbling with the buttons probably because Mikleo was watching so closely. He buttoned them unevenly, and Mikleo chuckled. "Here, let me."

The black undershirt was clinging to Sorey's wet skin in such a way that really deserved to be stared at, but he brushed off the embarrassment and fixed the shirt, and adjusted his collar. When he looked back to Sorey's face, he noted the shade of pink he'd turned and wanted to laugh again.

Silence continued, and Mikleo expected his friend to kiss him again, but it didn't happen. He convinced himself he wasn't disappointed.

"You're really amazing," was what he got instead; Sorey apparently had been clueless and lost in thought while Mikleo was the one getting worked up. Not very surprising.

"I won't dispute that, of course." Mikleo answered with a grin, "What makes you say so?"

"I bet you'll upstage everyone someday." Sorey had the same joking tone, but he was clearly very impressed over the destruction of that boulder.

"Water wears down rocks over time, I just sped up the process a little. That really wasn't anything special." Suddenly, he felt self-conscious. "I'm not trying to upstage anyone."

"You've been working really hard. I've seen you practicing by yourself a lot."

"That's not--" He paused, lowering his head, "Remember when we were young, and you broke your leg? It was the first major injury you suffered, and we'd just had an argument."

"...We were _six_. That can't have anything to do with this." Sorey looked amused.

"Just listen." He didn't make eye contact, but noted they were still blocked off from view of the others by the remains of Edna's makeshift wall. That was fine by him. "In one seraph's domain, other blessings lose out, because they aren't as powerful. But Gramps allowed my blessing to exist, because he trusted me to always wish for your safety. I know we fought, and so did the others, but… I know I didn't falter, either. I never wanted you hurt."

Sorey nodded, absorbing the information carefully, but didn't comment. With a deep sigh, Mikleo continued, "I got in trouble for it, anyway, but even you weren't as upset about it as I was. I realized I wasn't strong enough. If you remember, that's when I first started practicing artes."

When he stopped, he felt Sorey's hands on the side of his face, guiding him up for a kiss, short and sweet, and then let go. "I got hurt because I stormed off and fell down the stairs of the ruins when one of the steps gave out on me. We weren't even allowed to go there yet, for that reason." Sorey explained with a smile on his face, then turned and grabbed his cloak. He pulled it on as he continued, "Do you even remember what we were fighting about?"

Mikleo's heart sank just a little, though he knew Sorey didn't mean to brush off his concerns, "Not really. It was such a stressful day after that."

"Whether or not we'd get married. You said seraphim couldn't. Or didn't," Sorey reminded him with a huge grin on his face, "Guess it's still up for debate, now that we know more about it."

A sharp intake of breath and butterflies. Mikleo covered his mouth, threw a redundant insult at Sorey that neither of them paid any attention to, and smiled. Maybe nothing had changed all that much.

 

* * *

 

 

Loghrin didn't have much of an inn. There was a tent set up, but there wasn't a whole lot of room or privacy. Something it did have, though, was a small collection of bedrolls and tents that could be rented out and set up elsewhere in town.

During their meal, Mikleo had sneaked away with one of those bedrolls, back to the tall monolith hidden on the second story of the ruined tower. He wanted to sleep there, not necessarily alone, but after all that had happened, he did want at least a little while to himself. He'd gotten a closer look at his mother's face today. He could have died just so Sorey could be tested by Mayvin.

He didn't _want_ to die, of course. But he knew the likelihood of his death if he'd been successfully used in that attack, as did the others. The difference was that he was so much younger than them, lacking in experience. If all but one of them survived, he knew he'd be the one that wouldn't. Overcoming the gaps in his knowledge would take so much longer, and he knew he didn't really have that kind of time until they made it to the end of their journey. Even if he could grow in strength, he wasn't sure it would be enough to save him. The fact that he was the only one uneasy about it was the most troubling part.

He didn't have the kind of time needed to do all the investigating he wanted to in this town, because they'd set out early the next morning and the daylight had already sunk over the ruins. But he didn't really care to investigate at the moment, or else he would have gotten Sorey to come with him.

He'd brought one of the Iris Gems with him instead. The one he'd first seen his mother's face in. He wished he could have spoken to her.

Finding out he'd been a sacrifice had only been mildly surprising. Finding out he was raised to continue being one started to put context to the rest of his life, the puzzle coming together all at once like he'd been missing a piece for years and suddenly found it in an unexpected place. The picture it formed in the end hurt. He knew Sorey didn't see him that way, he was always confident of that, but everyone in Elysia knew what he was going to grow up to be except for the two of them.

Colors spun in the orb in his hand, contorting until they formed an image he could understand. Suddenly he was seeing his mother's smile, and involuntarily he smiled back at her. She'd willingly become a sacrifice, and he found himself following in her footsteps. He wondered if she would have accepted that as the fate of her child.

He wondered what her opinion of Sorey would be. He couldn't know, since he knew next to nothing about her.

He curled up on the bedroll while watching her. She'd been holding him close to her body, protective. The circumstances of his birth were still a mystery; he didn't know (or care) who his father was. His thoughts wandered until the the only light left was from the stars and the Iris Gem in his hand.

Sorey's mother - Selene - and his mother, were they friends? If they'd both grown up human, would they have still been this close? If they'd grown up in that village, surrounded by other people, would they still have spent all of their time together, learned everything together? Would Sorey still love him?

He'd almost fallen asleep when Sorey finally joined him, and he hadn't even known he'd been waiting. "You doing okay?"

"Yeah," He answered, straightening out so that his friend could lie down behind him. They'd even been sleeping side-by-side while camping with the others, and it seemed that nobody really thought anything of it. Granted, they hadn't exactly been cuddling up to each other those times. Maybe even Sorey thought they ought to keep this to themselves. He wasn't sure whether it was a good thing, though.

Sorey's hand rested on the belts on his side, pulling Mikleo against him. He didn't ask if Mikleo was having any doubts, and he didn't really need to. "I won't let this kill you."

Mikleo covered his mouth and closed his eyes to stifle a reaction he wasn't even sure he'd have. "If we have any choice in the matter, I know you won't let it kill any of us. But you can't hold back against Heldalf." A moment's silence passed and Sorey's hand traveled to his stomach, and he felt him kiss the back of his head. He wanted to be facing him, but didn't want to move yet. "I won't let you."

"You said it a lot growing up, that humans and seraphim see things differently. Even if that's true with the others, we--"

"We're different," He finished, opening his eyes and covering Sorey's hand with his own, "The others are willing to accept this so easily, I wonder if I really am a failure as a Seraph, and can't see what they do after all. I won't hesitate when the time comes, though." He could tell Sorey wasn't happy with that response.

He found himself pinned suddenly, looking questionably up at Sorey's face.

"...Sorry. I should have worded that differently," He tried, "You can tell I don't really fit in with them, though. You're the only one…"

"They've all been trying," Sorey murmured. Mikleo unfastened the Shepherd's cloak and let it slide off of his friend's shoulders. "I know they're all bound to me for now, but it's you that they spend more time with. Probably because… Well, because I'm human."

"...So they're trying to help me cope, I take it? Or maybe teach me their ways?" Mikleo asked, skeptical. He didn't make eye contact, busying himself with one of the toggles on Sorey's shirt that seemed to have gotten loose. "I'd prefer to stay in denial. Their methods only involve making fun of me. Or jabbing me with umbrellas."

"You wanted Rose around so I'd have another human to bond with, but you can't be bothered to..." Sorey said, wavering, "...Stop messing with my clothes!"

"I'm _trying_ to distract you, idiot!"

"...Oh," Sorey breathed, "A-are you sure?"

"You caught me at a vulnerable moment," Mikleo announced steadily, but his hands were trembling just a little, starting to actually undo the shirt now, his cheeks warming, "So, right now, I don't want to think about what'll happen… in the future."

Sorey kissed him, and he gave up on the shirt (temporarily), slipping his arms around his neck. He felt Sorey's tongue and parted his lips, welcoming the change. His friend had never been pushy or aggressive, so he knew this sort of thing wouldn't come naturally to him. It didn't feel aggressive, though. Just sweet and curious, like everything else he and Sorey had shared.

Sweetly, curiously, Sorey straddled him and began working on the fastenings on Mikleo's outfit. Perhaps a bit clumsily as well. The belts on the sides were adjustable, but luckily not necessary for removal. They would both have been too nervous to manage something like that.

Sorey's warm hands met his chilled skin, sliding the clothes off his shoulders as he sat up and broke the kiss. "Um, How should we--"

"I didn't have much of a chance to learn about it," Mikleo admitted, "But you can take the lead, this time." He'd tried to find the chance to read on doing this properly, but couldn't find enough alone time (and when he had the time alone, he couldn't find the material to read). While he was sure there'd been chances to ask, this seemed too personal.

As he spoke, he removed Sorey's shirt and set it beside his own, looking up into his eyes. The Iris Gem beside the bedroll wrapped them in a colored light. Sorey looked so incredible, his wide green eyes looking back at him. Whatever hesitance they felt melted away with the soft touches of skin.

Sorey took Mikleo's pants off first, distracting him with another soft kiss and pushing him back onto his elbows, "I don't know what I'm doing," his voice barely audible, a whisper against Mikleo's skin, "You'll have to tell me if it's okay."

Mikleo nodded, a small sound caught in his throat as he felt Sorey's hand grasping him, firm and steady. Lips trailed down from his neck, to his oversensitive sides (and he squirmed, trying not to laugh as he gave Sorey a gentle shove to get him to stop that). "Let me, too."

Sorey didn't let go, his hand moving agonizingly slowly, experimentally, but he shifted his body to allow Mikleo to do as he pleased, flinching when he felt cold hands. Mikleo mumbled an apology, but didn't stop, leaning his forehead against Sorey, hiding his face. He could tell that this was going well by the short gasps and tense motions, Sorey struggling not to rock his hips against Mikleo's hand.

"Do you want to try…?" Mikleo asked, unable to look Sorey in the face.

Sorey nodded, awkwardly guiding Mikleo to lie down and climbing off of him. His hands stayed on Mikleo's body but wandered to his thighs, his staring made Mikleo shudder, raising his legs as Sorey positioned himself and tried to push inside. It didn't quite work, at first. When he tried again, it _hurt_ , a blunt pressure and raw friction; Mikleo yelped and hugged tightly around Sorey's shoulders, grimacing from pain and discomfort.

"S-Sorry!" Sorey pulled away and looked horrified.

"It's fine," Mikleo answered, his arms outstretched to draw Sorey close again. When Sorey did lean down over him again, he didn't try to enter him this time, instead using his hand to pleasure the both of them, "I said-- I said it was okay." Mikleo sputtered, biting back a moan and running his hands through Sorey's hair as he felt more soft kisses against his neck, feathered earrings tickling his cheek.

"It's not. We can try again another time," Sorey promised. He continued until Mikleo climaxed with a shudder and a soft cry, and he didn't last much longer.

Mikleo curled onto his side while Sorey cleaned him off with his shirt and laid down behind him. "Sorry for hurting you."

"I was just nervous," Mikleo said. The Iris Gem's colors twirled about, but he couldn't bring himself to do anything with it. Tears stung in his eyes, but he denied them. They ought to get dressed before someone found them in the morning, he decided, but made no move to do so yet, still trying to calm down and steady his breathing.

"You know I'm not disappointed, right?" Sorey wrapped an arm around Mikleo's naked body, kissing the back of his neck.

Mikleo couldn't say he was either. He turned to face him, "There's a lot on my mind. I don't regret it or anything."

"I used to wonder about my parents, too," Sorey offered, "I thought it was kind of amazing, that our mothers knew each other. If they were friends, we probably would have spent just as much time together."

Mikleo couldn't help it, he laughed, covering his smile with his hand. Somehow it didn't surprise him that Sorey knew the things he'd been thinking of instinctively. "Even so, I don't think I mind how things turned out for us." He could wish his parents and Sorey's parents were still alive - he could even wish that _he'd_ survived - but he was happy now. Even if he knew it couldn't last forever.

"Yeah," Sorey grinned, standing back up and refastening his pants, "We should wash up before sleeping. I'll be back."

Mikleo didn't bother to dress, or even get off the bedroll. While waiting, he pulled the shepherd's cloak over himself, closed his eyes, and smiled.

 

 

Sorey had wanted to set out under the stars. That was all well and good, but it meant they missed out on a night's sleep, and they were exhausted for the next few days of travel. When they reached Marlind, almost all of them went to sleep at the inn immediately. Sorey didn't.

Mikleo didn't see the need to go with him, but did wait up for him outside of the inn, leaning on the railing and looking out over the town. In the growing darkness it was hard to tell, but the beauty of Marlind was really something worth visiting. He wished they could have come through more often. Night had fallen before Sorey returned, and he was carrying something heavy wrapped haphazardly in brown paper. "Supplies?" Mikleo asked once he was within earshot.

He almost expected Sorey to be surprised to see him there, but he wasn't. They greeted each other with smiles and short waves, and Sorey held out the package, "Not this time. Sentiment."

He was hesitant to take it, and even more hesitant to open it, but Sorey pushed it into his hands and nodded so enthusiastically that he didn't really have a choice. Of course it felt like a heavy book, so that put him at ease. Neatly tearing the edges of the paper and folding them back, he revealed a leather-bound tome with blank, unlined pages. The cover was unmarked, waiting for its owner to title it. "...Sentiment, huh?"

"Yeah. You said you were going to write about our adventures," Sorey explained, "I was kind of hoping you'd fill that one for me. The things you'll see before I'm back." Mikleo must have looked stricken, because Sorey grabbed his shoulder and squeezed comfortingly.

He lowered his gaze, trying not to point out their survival chances and ruin Sorey's gesture. It  _was_ a sweet thing to give him. "...I'll need at least another twenty volumes. I won't be sparing any details."

"I know you won't." Sorey pulled him into a hug.

He held the empty journal to his chest as Sorey let go of him, imbuing it with mana to hide its presence from any humans who might've seen it floating. "Thank you, Sorey." He gestured at the bench next, a small stack of blankets resting on it, "I was feeling sentimental, as well. Is that alright with you?"

Sorey brightened, his smile was absolutely dazzling, "Yeah! Does Zaveid know we won't go back to the room?"

Mikleo nodded, "I told him you and I might not be back before I came outside."

"Great! I'll carry these, let's go!"

Sorey's enthusiasm reassured him that it was a good idea, and he followed along outside of the town gates, still clutching the book in his arms. Once they found a clear spot (it didn't really look like the same spot as last time, but the ground was level and the clear sky was visible overhead, so he didn't complain), Sorey laid out one blanket, but folded it in half so they'd have to lie close in order to both be on it. Mikleo noticed, but didn't comment. It matched up to his intentions, anyway. He sat down on the blanket and set the journal beside him, waiting for Sorey to join him.

The stars were just as stunning as they had been days ago over Lastonbel. There was a stronger chill in the air, but Mikleo almost never noticed that, and Sorey had wrapped the two of them in another blanket. "I wonder what Gramps will think?" Sorey wondered aloud, while he rolled on his side to pull Mikleo closer to him.

"You said you didn't want to tell him, but I think he'd be proud of your answer. Maybe a little sad."

"Huh? No, not that. I meant about us."

"Oh, _that_." Mikleo rolled his eyes, but didn't protest when Sorey drew him close. Knowing they'd be missing out on this for centuries made him a little more lenient, "I vote we don't tell him about that, either."

"Why not? He's family, I'll want him to know."

Sorey was warm, only a little warmer than usual, so Mikleo could guess that his body temperature had risen because of the mood, or contact. Either way, it worked. "He always told me you'd leave someday, to be with other humans. I think I was being manipulated, so I'd want to go with you. Now that we know what his intentions were for us, it seems that way."

"Well, you can be pretty hard-headed…" Sorey started, earning him a jab in the ribs.

"This type of relationship isn't common in humans. It doesn't appear to be a big deal to seraphim, but... All those years, I was raised being told you'd meet a girl someday."

"Technically, that did happen." Sorey's hands were on his sides, and he tensed, expecting to be tickled. Instead, Sorey kissed his brow, "She's nice, and pretty, but not who I wanted."

"She'll miss you, you know. So will Rose. They won't be here when you come back."

A guilty look crossed his friend's face, "I know I'm asking a lot of all of you. Especially you."

"Yeah, you are." Mikleo affirmed warmly, "But that's alright. I know you're worried, so I'll keep watch over them." He wasn't worried about his own possible death anymore, fear replaced by a cautious optimism, Sorey rubbing off on him in the sweetest, most irritating way imaginable. Without being told, he knew that Sorey wouldn't fire him from that weapon unless he was positive things would be okay. Without telling Sorey, he knew he'd follow through whether he lived or not, in the end.

"And you're sure _you'll_ be okay?"

Of course he wasn't, but he couldn't say so. "It'll take some getting used to. I grew at the same rate as you because I believed I would. Now everything has started to slow down, and it's strange. But at least I know I won't change so much you won't recognize me."

Without speaking any further, they both acknowledged that Sorey may not survive this. If he didn't, he would likely be reborn as a new seraph. Without his memories. Mikleo wasn't sure if he was seeking comfort or trying to reassure Sorey that he'd be okay when he kissed him.

Sorey was receptive, his arms wrapping around Mikleo's waist to draw their bodies close and grind shyly against him. Mikleo hid his amusement and tangled a hand in Sorey's hair while his other hand started working on their clothes. "That's the first time you kissed me," Sorey pointed out, staying just as close so that his lips still made soft contact with Mikleo's skin.

He had to pause to think about that, but frowned, "No it isn't."

"Cheeks and foreheads don't count," Sorey grinned, shrugging off his shirt.

Mikleo looked away for a moment, thoughtful, "...I'll have to make up for it, then." He pushed Sorey onto his back and climbed on top of him, forcing another kiss on him, and another, and a few more while he removed his top and discarded it with Sorey's.

Sorey interrupted him by tickling his sides just long enough to catch his attention, "What's gotten into you? I like it."

"It's my turn. I intend to do this right." While he was amused by Sorey's expression then, he was already shaking when he unfastened and tugged off Sorey's pants, and even more anxious when he looked down at his friend's arousal. He drew a long breath and leaned forward, sliding his tongue over the tip, confidence starting to build when he heard Sorey gasping his name. Experimentally, he took the length into his mouth and sucked gently, continuing as he paid close mind to Sorey's reactions, pleased with himself. As he did this, he fished a gel out of his pocket and coated his fingers with it.

It was a lot easier this time, since it didn't seem to hurt Sorey at all like it had hurt him. "Wh-- How did you?" Sorey asked, out of breath and whimpering.

"...I asked someone," He murmured after sitting back up. He hadn't wanted to ask, of course, but when he weighed his options, he knew he'd rather embarrass himself than hurt Sorey. He'd kept his questions vague, but he wanted to get it right now that he knew where they'd fallen short the last time. His fingers worked in and out, his eyes watching every little reaction Sorey had, from the way he'd choke out complimentary words, or his muscles would tense. The sight was amazing.

"I'm ready," Sorey managed, grabbing Mikleo's arm to make him stop.

Mikleo nodded, still dazed, and kissed Sorey again as he applied a layer of the gel to himself and slipped inside, much easier than he thought he would, and his limbs nearly gave out. Inside was so soft and hot around him, it felt amazing. " _Oh_ \- wow, Sorey," his voice sounded off even to him, "Is it okay?"

Sorey's back arched and he held onto Mikleo with his legs, "Yeah," he sighed, "it's great." His breathing hitched when Mikleo slipped his hand between them and grabbed hold of him, moving as though he knew what he was doing.

"I love you, Sorey," He mumbled against his friend's neck while he pushed hard against him, perhaps a little too fast. The friction felt so good he couldn't even keep track of his clumsy pace, but he knew it wouldn't matter to Sorey, who had as much experience with this as he did.

"Love you, too," Sorey clung to him, fingers digging into his back. His voice sounded so weak, lustful, and his climax brought out another strangled whine. Mikleo came shortly after, pulling out and collapsing at Sorey's side. As they caught their breath, he wiped the mess off of them onto the blanket. "Wait… Who did you ask?"

Mikleo looked at him and kept silent, his face growing hot.

"Seriously, who?"

"Doesn't matter. I didn't tell."

"You _didn't_."

Mikleo rolled over, pulling the blanket up to his nose.

" _Seriously_?"

"Of course I asked him! He's clearly obsessed with it and knows what he likes, so it was the obvious choice!" He sat up and turned to Sorey again, catching him laughing.

"I wish I'd heard that conversation. Oh, wow."

Mikleo groaned and laid back down, cozying up at Sorey's side. "I wouldn't really care if they knew," He muttered, "But they'd just make fun of us."

"Really? I don't think so." Sorey adjusted the blanket to make it cover both of them, "I think they'd just make fun of you." This earned him another quick jab in the ribs. He fought back by going right for Mikleo's sides, attacking until they were weak with laughter.

Sorey stole another kiss before they settled back into place, falling asleep under the stars. When dawn broke in the distance, Mikleo woke first, got dressed and woke Sorey soon after, as he found he had to do quite often. Luckily, Sorey was the type to spring out of bed without complaints once he was actually awake, so they were ready to sneak back into town quickly, likely before the others would wake.

Sorey would take care of ordering a breakfast for them at the inn while Mikleo would sneak the blankets back, into the laundry. They met back up in their room, no sign of Zaveid there. They only smiled in greeting as they went to pack up their things and prepare to leave.

"Oh, Sorey, hold still," Mikleo said, stepping closer and reaching for the side of his face, "Your earring is loose. I'll fix it."

"Is it? When did that happen?" Sorey wondered out loud, looking thoughtful and clearly not expecting an answer.

"Probably last night." Mikleo answered anyway, flashing a coy smile before he stood a little straighter against Sorey, wrapped arms around him and gave him one more kiss before they'd leave for the day. Well, that had been the plan, anyway. Sorey shoved him back, eyes wide as he'd ever seen them. The look made Mikleo's heart stop. Dread bubbled up, because he should have noticed, he should have paid _any attention at all_ , and then this never would have happened.

And then the others materialized.

Edna made a sound like she was gagging and leaned her umbrella on her shoulder, "Meekleo got bold."

Lailah only said "Oh my…" And gazed off into nothingness while wringing her hands.

Zaveid hit his fist in his hand like he'd solved a great puzzle, "Oh, _now_ I get it. Not bad."

"Ugh, don't encourage this. It's like Meebo gave all of us a gross, sloppy kiss." Edna said, lancing Zaveid on the back of the head. Their banter at Mikleo's expense continued as the thudding of his heartbeat pounded in his ears, thankfully drowning most of them out.

"S-sorry…" Sorey looked at the ground and scratched the back of his head, his face flushed.

Mikleo almost told him it was okay, that it wasn't his fault, that he was the one being so absent-minded that he didn't notice the others, that this lapse in judgment was all on him, even though he was usually _so_ careful. But he couldn't say it. "I'm going to go drown myself," He announced as he spun on his heel and walked stiffly out the door.

"Wait, Mikleo!" Sorey stepped after him and grabbed his hand, but once he had his attention all he could say was, "But, you're a _water_ seraph, so--"

"I'll manage!"

Rose burst out of her room suddenly, "What's going on? Did I miss something?"

Sorey looked over at her, oddly pleased with himself and looking annoyingly clueless about everything, "Yeah, we're all making fun of Mikleo now."

"That's hardly new." Mikleo spat, glaring first at him and then Rose, as if daring her to say something else.

"Oh, I get it. Cat's out of the bag then, huh?" She crossed her arms and leaned in the doorframe. "Hate to tell you, buddy, but that's hardly new, either."

Mikleo threw his hands up in the air and continued storming out, and Sorey grabbed him and looked like a lunatic to all of the other inn patrons, but by the end of this ordeal, they were both laughing about it with foolish smiles on their faces, worries temporarily washed away by a night under the stars (and whether they'd admit it or not, that morning's strange mishap).

 

 

* * *

 

 

"Luzrov Rulay!"

At the call, Mikleo surrendered himself to Sorey, enveloping him and becoming him. Time slowed for that moment, and they acknowledged that this was the last time they'd have the chance to use the armatus. Together they faced forward, firing the spiraling torrents of water at the massive beast before them to protect Rose, who no longer had the protection of a seraph.

As soon as they saw Heldalf falter, Sorey clutched Siegfried in his hand and held it out. His hands were shaking, but Mikleo steadied him.

 _Last shot_ , he reminded him, _I'll take care of the aim. Let's finish this._

Sorey straightened, and they both pulled the trigger.

In that moment, being ripped apart from Sorey filled him with fear and determination, driving him forward and into the fray. He found the others waiting for him, guiding him to where he needed to be, combining their efforts and shredding the curse that bound Maotelus to Heldalf.

They were still alive, and waiting on Sorey to finish this. He was proud to see his friend unwavering, releasing their deteriorated forms and smiling at them, thanking them for what could have been the last time. He wished, in his current form, that he could have smiled back.

 

* * *

 

 

It took a few hours for all of them to rematerialize. Mikleo had taken the longest, as he'd foreseen, but only because of the numbness and depression slowing him down. He'd more or less caught up to the others, in his own way. As his feet touched the ground, he stumbled forward and Zaveid was the one who caught him.

"Whoa, steady." The world spun for a few seconds and then settled as he looked up at a beam of light in front of him. "You okay there, Mikkiddo?"

Mikleo stood upright, unable to pull his eyes away from the glowing pillar. He was aware of everything that had happened. Sorey had overpowered and brought an end to Heldalf after all of his seraphim companions had severed the bond between Maotelus and the Lord of Calamity. The parts he hadn't participated in, he'd watched. Sorey had smiled, at the end. Before turning away and welcoming Maotelus, becoming his new vessel.

The shepherd's pact was broken and somehow Mikleo was the one left feeling so hollow. He drew a long, shaky breath and pushed Zaveid's arm away. "I'm fine."

He didn't turn away from that pillar, even when he heard Rose walking toward them. "I'll be the next Shepherd." She announced. "I mean, you all said I was on par with Sorey, right? So my abilities should be enough to start with, and we'll gather what Squires we can to make use of what he's doing."

He said nothing while the others had their own reactions. Couldn't. It felt natural that he'd go along with her, but he wasn't ready to let go of Sorey being the Shepherd yet.

"We can renew our pacts whenever you're prepared, Rose," Lailah's voice sounded oddly cheerful, and he resented it for a minute. It wasn't like he could fault her, though. Nor could he fault the others for willingly gathering around for their turns to renew the pact. A part of him knew he'd be swept up in it, too. Just… Not yet.

A hand touched his shoulder and he spun around, finally looking away from the light. Rose was smiling at him. A dull, sympathetic smile that made him miss Sorey all the more. "I get it if you need time. But I'd love to have you stay with us."

He nodded after a bit of hesitation. "I do need some time." He said, unable to lie about that much. "For now, I want to seal this place off. But I will join you."

Lailah folded her hands over herself and nodded quietly, while Edna lowered her umbrella and addressed him directly. "It's okay if you want to cry." That same tone as always. A chill rose in his skin.

"I'm not…!"

"No. Really. It's okay." Her eyes met his and narrowed, expectantly.

The crater surrounding the pillar stilled, not a single breeze disturbing the fresh dust. That was how it felt, anyway. The hollow feeling sank deeper, taking root in his very core. Of course he would join Rose. Where else could he go? With Sorey sleeping there, he could pine for years and break his promise, he could return home to Elysia and mourn Gramps for the both of them, or he could rely on these people who he called friends to keep him on his feet while he adjusted to having his entire world turned on its head. There were, indeed, tears in his eyes, and he broke down.

He covered his face and choked back a sob. Lailah and Rose stood to either side of him, holding him up and trying to offer comfort. It took a few minutes for him to get his breathing under control again, reality gripping him tighter than the girls on either side of him. "I'll be okay. Really, I just," he glanced at that warm light again, "...We just lost the man who raised us and had no time to mourn." He explained. They all knew that wasn't the whole of it, but he was grateful to see that they'd nodded in acceptance.

"You can take your time, Mikleo." Lailah gave a smile as well. It was a small comfort, but a reminder that he wouldn't be seeing his best friend's smile for years to come. "If you want, we'll leave you here. Since it's late, we ought to spend the night. If you decide to stay in the morning, we'll meet up with you later."

Preparing a campsite distracted everyone until only Edna stayed by him, giving him an appraising stare and nodding before walking away as well. "You surprised me, Meebo."

He didn't know what she meant, but even if he had the energy to argue, she didn't seem to be making fun of him this time. He let it go, turning back to the light and watching it writhe. He didn't really know what it meant, but it reminded him of nights when Sorey's mind wandered, and he was having trouble getting to sleep. He'd toss and turn, get up and walk around Elysia, and eventually Mikleo would get annoyed and return with him, lie beside him, and they'd both sleep. Maybe there had always been love in the little things like that. He felt foolish for denying it for so long.

They were seated on the edge of the crater where the shrine used to stand. Maybe it would again, someday. He was sure Sorey would like that. The minutes ticked by, and Mikleo sat staring out at it still. Maybe it had been hours, but before long, Lailah took a seat next to him quietly and time slowed back down.

"Edna and I are very close friends," She started, as though she'd been thinking of her words this whole time. "And yet, there are long periods of time when I don't see her. Sometimes centuries. It can be hard to get used to, but it's something we all adapt to, as seraphim."

Mikleo nodded, "I have figured that out. I'm still the same age as Sorey, though."

"This will take time." She agreed, "But it will work out in the end. As someone so close to Sorey, you must know that better than any of us." Sorey's mindless optimism seemed so far away now, but he couldn't argue. He did know that it would be okay.

"I'll be fine, Lailah. A lot has changed in a day."

"Watching you before, I wished that I could have taken Sorey's place."

He turned to her, disbelief on his face, and groaned when he turned back, "I wouldn't wish for that. Nor would he. He's proud of what he's doing."

She stood back up and smiled down at him, holding out her hand, "You're proud of him, too, right?"

He answered with a halfhearted smile and took her hand, letting her guide him to the campfire. For hours, all anyone spoke about was entertaining memories of Sorey, but Mikleo didn't share any. He just grew bitter. They were all acting like he was gone, and maybe he couldn't blame Rose for feeling that way, but the others just annoyed him. He retired to bed first.

It should have been obvious to him that he'd be too uncomfortable to sleep. The ground was hard, his mind was spinning, and Sorey wasn't beside him for the first time in months. He waited for everyone else to go to sleep before he left, climbing down into the crater just to get closer. His mother had known how to seal things, so he ought to be able to figure it out too.

Yet he had no motivation to do that at the moment. The warm light ahead was such a comfort, part of him wanted to stay and keep Sorey company, for however long this took. It wasn't possible, or sane at least, and he knew that, but the tightness in his chest made it seem like an option worth trying. "Sorey…"

The deafening silence he was met with at that moment crushed him, and he dropped to his knees, unwilling to move any closer. He wondered if he'd even be able to see Sorey's body there, wrapped in a light that was so blinding that it stung his eyes while he rubbed them free of tears. He'd never been without Sorey, and even as they'd started this foolish journey, he'd been sure to force his way back to Sorey's side even while his friend tried to shake free. The pain had spread from his chest into his throat, but even as he acknowledged the hurt of not having Sorey beside him, he knew he wasn't mourning. He just knew he'd be lonely without his best friend, for years, even  _centuries_ to come.

He felt a strong gust of wind that encircled the crater and he snapped out of his stupor. "Sorey, I miss you already."

The light twisted and coiled, and he felt almost guilty as if he'd managed to wake Sorey up. He swallowed hard and continued, raising his voice with conviction, "But I'm never going to grieve for something I haven't lost." His promise resonated on the air and through his very being, binding him and comforting him all at once. Sorey and he would reunite, and he'd never need to grieve.

The beacon of light suddenly strengthened, spinning with color and wrapping loosely around Mikleo in acknowledgement of what he'd just said and done. The warmth of it spread throughout his body, and the light took on a soft blue hue. He clenched his fist over his heart, turned and started to walk back to the camp. It was steep, but everything felt a little easier now that he'd gotten what he needed to off of his chest.

"That kind of Oath won't get you any special power, you know." Zaveid stood above him, holding out a hand to grant him balance as he climbed.

"That isn't what I'm after, anyway." He didn't take Zaveid's hand until he started to lose balance.

"Well, look at you! Here I thought we'd have a lost puppy on our hands."

Mikleo didn't have an answer for that, but glared at him.

A long, silent pause passed between them before Zaveid handed him the journal Sorey had bought for him. "I don't know if he gave this to you yet, but it looks like he started it for you. We were looking for something in his stuff and found it." Once it was safely in Mikleo's hands, Zaveid gave him privacy to read it.

The light behind him provided enough that he could read. The first page was filled with, of all things, awkward romantic poetry. Mikleo stifled a laugh and smiled back at the glowing pillar, throwing one last redundant insult at it before rejoining their friends.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Part two:
> 
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/13707975


End file.
